Paul Bevan Lieberstein (born February 22, 1967) is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. A Primetime Emmy Award winner, he is known as a writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S. version of the sitcom The Office. He served as the series' showrunner from seasons five to eight. On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Lieberstein would step down from his showrunner role to focus on a planned spin-off series featuring Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, which was tentatively called The Farm[1] and Lieberstein was set to be the showrunner.[2] However, in October 2012, it was announced that NBC was not accepting the spin-off series.[3] Lieberstein also worked as producer on the third and final season of the television drama series The Newsroom.[4]

Lieberstein grew up in Westport, Connecticut,[5] the son of Judith and Stanley Lieberstein.[6] He attended Staples High School. Afterwards, he attended Hamilton College, where he joined Chi Psi, and graduated in 1989[7] with a major in economics[7] (he "wanted to be a financier of some kind").[5] An interesting footnote is that Lieberstein wrote into the storyline of several episodes references to the fact that Andy Bernard was a Chi Psi from Cornell. Making the effete Andy Bernard a Chi Psi from Cornell was intentional and reflects a good natured "dig" at Cornell by a Chi Psi alum. His first job after graduation was as an auditor at Peat Marwick International, a job that only lasted six months.[7] He followed that with part-time work in his father's law firm, "working as little as [he] could so [he] could write."[7]

His sister Susanne is the president of programming at MTV and is married to Greg Daniels.[5] His brother, Warren Lieberstein, was married to Angela Kinsey. Lieberstein was married for a second time, to Janine Serafin Poreba, on July 19, 2008, at the New York City restaurant Battery Gardens.[6] His cousin is Paul Faust, on whom the character "Cool Guy Paul" was based, as seen in The Office episode "Chair Model".

In a SuicideGirls interview, Lieberstein noted that "as an actor, which is just a very small percentage of me, I don’t feel Toby while I’m writing. It’s the hardest of the characters to access."[5] In an interview for his alma mater, Hamilton College, Lieberstein commented on the bigger picture:[7]

“

When we are in pre-production, this is the best job in the world. Working 10 to 7, sitting around and brainstorming with the other writers, making things funnier and writing and rewriting scenes—that's as fun as it gets. Adding acting on top of all that makes for incredibly long, grueling days, sometimes 6 to midnight. But acting has its own rewards. Comedy becomes intensified in short scenes. Doing a scene with Steve Carell, trying to keep up with him, is as tough and fun and weird as any part of the process.